Justice
by Mr. Demon Lawyer
Summary: [AU] What if nobody could refute Apollo's claims in Turnabout for Tomorrow? Spoilers and Major Character Death. Slight(Very very slight) Justicykes.


Athena walked up the wooden stairs, handcuffed and escorted by two guards. Once on top of the platform, she had good sight of the audience. Just a few people, most of them complete strangers, but she recognized two faces among them: Aura Blackquill and Apollo Justice. It was because of him that she was in that situation. When she was happy and relieved after finding out the truth behind the UR-1 incident, he took the witness stand and accused her of a different murder. And then he proved her guilty. He somehow managed to prove something that wasn't true. But she didn't hold a grudge against him. All of the evidence pointed to her. She couldn't blame him for putting the truth above everything else, including her. That was rather admirable, actually.

"Any last words?" The executioner said while putting the noose around her neck.

She looked at the audience again. Aura's face was a mix of anger and joy, proof of the utter hatred she felt for her. Apollo was just staring at her, coldly. Ever since her trial, that cold stare was everything he had for her. No yells full of anger. No malicious sarcastic comments. No pity. No contempt. Just that cold, empty stare. She couldn't bear it. It was the worst of everything that had happened. Worse than being locked up and alone the most part of the time. Worse than knowing that her life was going to end anytime soon. She would have given anything to stop it.

"Apollo!" She screamed, and she felt tears run down her cheeks. She just wanted him to change his expression, but she had already tried everything to stop that cold stare and get something, whatever, out of him. She had tried to explain her innocence. She had begged his pardon. She had even confessed the feelings she had for him. Everything was true, but he didn't believe her. What could she tell him now that she hadn't yet? She closed her eyes in an attempt to think, but her mind was blocked and her panting made her struggle to speak without choking. She shouted the first thing that came to her mind.

"I'm Athena Cykes...and I'm fine!" She opened her eyes. Apollo was still looking at her, with that cold stare. Then the executioner pulled a lever, and the floor under her feet disappeared.

* * *

Apollo was sitting next to Aura Blackquill. He watched Athena Cykes as she ascended the scaffold. There she was, the girl who killed his best friend. And yet, he couldn't bring himself to hate her. What he felt towards her was more along the lines of...disappointment? He wasn't quite sure.

There weren't any acquaintances there besides Aura. It didn't surprise him. Nobody would want to watch a friend dying. He would have rather not been there either. He knew from experience than watching an human being dying was something extremely unpleasant. But he had to come. He owed it to Clay. Clay was the reason why he decided to accuse her at any price in the first place. The price had been rather high. He was out of work again. Mr. Wright, Trucy and Juniper didn't talk to him. And if looks could kill, he would have died whenever he passed by Prosecutor Blackquill. Sometimes he feared for his life for real. Neither of them wanted to acknowledge that Athena was a murderer. But you can't choose the truth. It is what it is. And that was the hardest part of all, knowing that the girl he once trusted had killed his best friend. And yet, the doubts inside him hadn't fully disappeared.

"Apollo!" Was she really calling his name now? Did she want to tell him something? There was only one thing he wanted from her at that point: Her confession. She had told him a lot of stories, each one of them more ridiculous than the previous one, but she had never admitted to killing Clay. If she did it, he could forget all of his remaining doubts once and for all. Else, he would have to live with them forever.

"I'm Athena Cykes...and I'm fine!" What was that? Was she mocking him? There went the last opportunity to wipe his doubts.

The executioner pulled a lever and he couldn't help but to look away. Then, all of a sudden, everything hit him like a ton of bricks. He buried his head in his arms and waterfalls of tears started falling down his face.

"Don't blame yourself." Aura said. "She got what she deserved."

"And yet, I don't feel any better." Apollo replied."Clay is not going to come back. He's still gone. And now she's gone too."

"She was a murderer. The world is better without her."

"But she was my friend. And I wanted to be more than that."

"That was before she killed your best friend."

"Yes, but some feelings don't disappear so easily."

"You made the right the decision back then. Don't regret it know."

"I don't regret it. I just...wish that I had had a choice."

"And I wish that Metis was still alive. But things are as they are. Today, justice has been served. That's what you should focus on."

"Right." Apollo wiped his tears on his sleeve. "How I feel about this is irrelevant. I'm here for Clay. And, for him, justice has been served."


End file.
